Everything I Learned, I Learned in a Chinese Restaurant – by Curtis Chin

I had a gift certificate for Barnes and Noble and last weekend, the three of us had lunch at The Cheesecake Factory and just a few steps away was a Barnes and Noble. I actually had a few minutes to browse the books without having to chase my 8-year-old son around the store, and telling him no to all the toys! I had my selection narrowed down to this one the new Bill Maher book. I chose this one because I wanted to learn and read something new and the title sounded very interesting to me. Not just because I love Chinese food and my family was a well known customer to a few local restaurants in the San Antonio area. My favorite dishes are lo-mein noodles, fried rice, wonton soup, egg rolls, and dumplings. Oh, man, now I want to order some Chinese takeout!

Enough about me, let me tell you that I really enjoyed this memoir. Curtis’s family owned a Chinese restaurant in Detroit, MI , and him, his siblings, cousins, grandparents, and his parents all worked there.

I really enjoyed all of his stories, and it felt like I was a customer in the restaurant with everything on and off the menu in front of me waiting to eat.

Curtis stayed close to home for his college education, University of Michigan, and followed his passion for politics, writing, and being himself as he is gay. He mostly kept it to himself, but he did come out to a few people mentioned in the book, but not his parents. Well, I guess they know now.

Overall, I am glad I chose this one over a comedic book, and was very enthralled by his story.

I also liked how he organized the book, it was arranged as if you were actually ordering at Chungs:

The Tea

Appetizers and Soups

Rice and Noodles

Main Entrees

The Fortune Cookie

And, throughout each chapter, any new thoughts were separated by letters and numbers like A-3, B-1, or C-6!